Background
The UN Immersion Programme to Geneva serves to provide an overview of the United Nations. It will help participants build solid ground knowledge of themes and topics in international affairs, deliver training in core diplomatic skills and offer activities with the following Geneva-based agencies:
- United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG)
- United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR)
- World Trade Organisation (WTO)
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
UNITAR offers the Immersion Programmes to Geneva in four editions, in, May, July and August 2023. It will provide an in-depth focus on career development in the United Nations
Methodology:
Given the complexity of Geneva's multilateral environment, UNITAR will cover a series of different thematic areas during the course of the Programme. These will include peace and security, human rights and humanitarian affairs, global health and well-being, trade and technology as well as the environment and sustainable development.
The Immersion Programme is designed to be highly interactive and participatory. Activities will include a high level of direct exposure to policy practitioners and diplomatic settings, thereby allowing participants to gain thorough knowledge and understanding of the United Nations.
All of the activities will take place in the English language. Should there be any component not be available in English, UNITAR will ensure the participants will be provided with simultaneous interpretation.
Content and Structure
The United Nations Immersion Programme - Premium Package consists of two parts: (i) a 4-week preparatory e-Learning course, followed by (ii) a 5-day field visit to Geneva.
i) e-Learning course (24 April - 21 May 2023)
The e-learning course will be implemented on UNITAR's e-Learning platform. It comprises 4 different modules, can be studied in a self-paced manner and requires 6-8 hours of studying per week. The course includes weekly reading material, multimedia files as well as discussion boards exchanging views with fellow participants and UNITAR instructors.
- Module 1: The United Nations
- Module 2: Conference Diplomacy
- Module 3: Negotiation Skills
- Module 4: Cosmopolitan Communication
In addition, the preparatory e-Learning course will feature a series of 1.5 hour live-webinars and 3.5 hour e-workshops with UN experts. These will cover the above topics as well as Leadership Skills and UN career development. These live sessions will be implemented each week for a total of 4 hours per week on the platform Zoom.
ii) Field Visit to Geneva (22 - 26 May 2023)
Hosting 35 international organizations and more than 250 NGOs, the city of Geneva offers itself for a whole series of potentially formative experiences. UNITAR hosts most of the activity in the headquarters of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and provides a nuanced balance between the following different components:
Expert Lectures:
UNITAR’s professional network across Geneva allows it to organize a series of 1-2-hour expert lectures, in which participants can directly learn from UN personnel or other high-level officials. Previous programmes have included lectures from the following organizations:
- United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG)
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
Training Workshops:
As its core activity and raison d’être, UNITAR provides several face-to-face workshops to the participants. Delivered by experts such as retired ambassadors, previous programmes have included the following workshops:
- Negotiation Skills
- Public Speaking Skills
- Workshop on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Guided Tours:
Geneva is rich in historic buildings important to international affairs. Thanks to its access across the city, UNITAR can provide a series of private guided tours. Previous programmes have included tours through the following facilities:
- The United Nations’ Palace of Nations (3-hours extensive private guided tour)
- The Museum of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- The Maison de la Paix, housing the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID)
Career Development Sessions:
UNITAR also provides several 1-2 hour sessions on how to advance your professional career and find a solid footing in the world of international organizations. These sessions can include the following components:
- Information session on internships and other entry positions in the UN system
- Training workshop on application to a UN job opening and interview skills in the UN context
- Review of application material, including CV, motivation letter, personal history form, Inspira profile, LinkedIn profile
Target Audience
UNITAR welcomes a variety of professional backgrounds as well as differing degrees of experience among its participants. The Immersion Programme is therefore open to all actors related to international affairs wishing to build up knowledge and skills related to the United Nations or International Geneva.
Participants can include public sector officials, private sector professionals and representatives from NGOs, think tanks or academia. Junior professionals and graduate students are equally welcome to apply.
In order to ensure adherence to health safety standards during the field visit, registration will be closed after 30 participants. Allocation of slots will be on a first-come, first-served basis. At the end of the Immersion Programme, participants will be awarded a UNITAR certificate of completion.
Audience Benefit
As part of the training activities implemented during the winter months, UNITAR designed a blended program consisting of a 4-weeks e-Learning course followed by a 5-day field visit to Geneva, offering participants a full immersion into the United Nations' multilateral working environment.
In line with UNITAR’s mandate, its main purpose is to enhance participants’ knowledge and skills in the area of international affairs and diplomacy. This will empower them to work more effectively and efficiently in any multilateral setting.
UNITAR further intends to strengthen the participants’ conviction of the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, especially multilateralism. It lastly aspires to give its participants access to UN institutions and personnel in order to gain valuable insights into future career opportunities.
How to register
- On the event page, click on "registration". The programme will the be added to your shopping cart.
- Click on the "check out" button
- Create your own profile on the UNITAR event page and fill out the required sections
- Review the correctness of all information and choose payment method: (i) credit card or (ii) bank transfer
- If you choose credit card, your payment is definite and is completed immediately on the spot
- If you choose to pay by bank transfer, your payment is not definite yet and could be delayed to a later point in time
- In either of both choices, click on complete payment. UNITAR will follow up with you via email thereafter